A Source of Inspiration for Women: Christine Lagarde

Christine Lagarde studied law in Paris, and she joined an international law firm, Baker & McKenzie. As a woman, she took on several positions throughout her career including partnership, managing partnership, membership to executive committees, being the chairperson of the executive committee and chairperson of the global strategic committee in Baker & McKenzie. Politically, she became the deputy minister of foreign trade in France at first and then the minister of finance in 2007. Moreover, Christine Lagarde was elected as the new managing director of International Monetary Fund (IMF) as the first woman to hold this position. Becoming a top leader of an organization requires some crucial leadership skills: compelling leadership behaviours, vision, providing balance, handling international issues, managing chaotic situations and networked relations and many others. In this chapter, Christine Lagarde’s life story, her leadership style and her current position are subjected to theoretical and functional analysis in the context of women leadership. This chapter concludes that because of being at the top in a complex organization, Christine Lagarde can be seen as a source of inspiration and motivation for women who want to break the glass ceiling and reach the top positions.